Green announces West Hawaii funds secured at Legislature

I am pleased to announce that the State Legislature has approved over $45 million in appropriations for West Hawaii this year for improvements in transportation, education, and health care.

This is a great result for West Hawaii, with important new investments in our community’s roads, schools, and hospitals. These projects will continue to create jobs, stimulate our economy, and strengthen our civic life for years to come.

Projects approved for West Hawaii in the 2012 legislative session include:

* Kawaihae Harbor – $11.5 million
$11.5 million for design and construction of terminal and navigational improvements including harbor widening, road paving, water system improvements, and utilities

* Kona International Airport – $10.4 million
$10.4 million for terminal re-roofing construction and related improvements

* West Hawaii Community College at Palamanui – $7.5 million
$7.5 million for construction of Phases I and II to begin in Summer 2012, including ground and site improvements, project equipment and related costs

* Kuakini Highway – $3.4 million
$3.4 million for Kuakini Highway roadway and drainage improvements in the vicinity of Kamehameha III Road, including construction of pavement cross slope to improve drainage

* NELHA – $2.8 million
$1.8 million for construction of a mooring system for the seawater pipeline upgrade
$1 million for plans, design, and construction of renovations to main administration building to develop an alternative energy and biotechnology incubator

* Kohala Community Hospital – $2 million
$2 million for renovations and upgrades to hospital infrastructure including emergency room improvements

* Kona Community Hospital – $1 million
$1 million to upgrade the emergency power generators

* Waikoloa Public Library – $800,000
$800,000 for planning, design, site improvement, and equipment for Waikoloa Public Library

* Kohala High School – $800,000
$800,000 for planning and design of a new science building, including ground and site improvements and equipment

* Honokohau Harbor – $650,000
$650,000 for improvements including design and construction of a road, water system, utilities, and parking lot

I am also pleased to report that since 2005, West Hawaii has received more than $500 million in appropriations for improvements to our region’s transportation, education, health care, and justice systems.

Working together over the the past eight years, we have succeeded in bringing more state investment in our roads, schools, and hospitals than West Hawaii has seen in decades.

Of the more than $500 million in appropriations West Hawaii has received since 2005, $210.3 million has been for road and highway construction, $155.8 million for improvements to Kona International Airport, $69.9 million for harbor improvements, $27.7 million for improvements to Kona Community Hospital, $14.3 million for water system improvements, $12.6 million for public school improvements, $12.5 million for planning and design of the new Kona Judiciary Complex, and $12.5 million for planning, design, and construction of the new West Hawaii Community College Campus at Palamanui.

Thank you for your help and support, and for allowing me to represent you in the State Senate. Please contact me any time with your ideas and concerns.

Let’s keep working together to achieve even greater results for West Hawaii in the coming years.